Ban gambling advertising
Petitioners ask the House of Commons to ban gambling advertising during youth-accessible broadcasts and on social media, establish national standards, and fund research and prevention programs prioritizing Canadians’ health over gambling profits.
Why we would sign this petition
- Reduces minors' exposure to gambling marketing, which could lower the risk of addiction and related harms among young and vulnerable Canadians.
- Creates consistent national standards to close regulatory gaps between provinces and territories, improving consumer protection and enforcement across Canada.
- Funds coordinated research and prevention programs to better understand gambling harm and support evidence-based treatment and public-health responses.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- National advertising bans could be hard to enforce and might push gambling promotion to less regulated channels or foreign platforms.
- Overlapping federal and provincial jurisdictions may create legal and practical challenges implementing uniform standards and advertising restrictions.
- Advertising bans could reduce public revenue linked to legal gambling and impose enforcement costs, requiring trade-offs against other public priorities.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the House of Commons Gambling related addictions have been proven to be the leading cause of addictions related suicide; The rapid growth of online casinos and gambling platforms in Canada has led to increased rates of gambling addiction, financial hardship, and family distress; Many of these online gambling operations are promoted through aggressive and misleading advertising, often targeting youth and vulnerable Canadians; Provinces and territories have regulatory frameworks, resulting in inconsistent consumer protection and enforcement across Canada; The social and economic costs of gambling harm, including debt, mental health, and relationship breakdowns, far outweigh any public revenue derived from online gambling; There is a pressing need for the federal government to show leadership in safeguarding Canadians through responsible regulation, national standards, and the restriction of harmful gambling advertising; and Alcohol and tobacco advertising has been banned from advertising. We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to prohibit gambling advertisements during sporting events and other broadcasts accessible to minors; 1. Ban all social media advertising for gambling; 2. Fund national research and prevention programs to address gambling addiction and its social impacts; and 3. Ensure that the health and wellbeing of Canadians are prioritized above the profits of online gambling companies.
Government response
No government response is available yet.